A Public-Private Partnership for Education Transformation in the Galapagos

This grant from the Tinker will enable Galapagos Conservancy to improve the quality and relevance of public education for students in Galapagos by designing and carrying out a mentorship-based training program for every teacher on the Islands. Training will be developed by teams comprised of experienced educators in each subject area, with expertise in the best pedagogical practices. Training will be carried out by coaches who will work one-one with teachers in and out of the classroom, with an emphasis on student-centered practices, collective classroom participation and active learning.

All training will be designed to adhere to the guidelines of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education, which is a partner in this effort, and will be connected to the new national curriculum that teachers have been asked to implement. The trainers will enable teachers to leverage the tremendous opportunity that exists to integrate the Islands' physical and biological landscape to teach and apply the natural sciences, social sciences, and service-based learning, in an effort create a community of civic-minded critical thinkers who understand and appreciate what makes Galapagos unique, and who have the skills, attitudes and commitment to pursue and promote livelihoods that are consistent with preserving the delicate ecosystems of the Islands.